


The monk and the diviner

by Juno999



Series: Inuyasha & Yashahime One-shot [2]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, 半妖の夜叉姫 | Hanyou no Yashahime | Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Anime)
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Gen, Light Angst, One Shot, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, kinda sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27666497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juno999/pseuds/Juno999
Summary: The village surrounding the local lord’s estate looked like any other in the region. Run down houses, narrow dusty roads, nearly empty marketplace and an unkept temple. The lord’s keep in contrast was clean, well maintained and towered over the village. This was the right place for him to earn some coin. Miroku looked around the marketplace. Locals moved along on their daily tasks. Nothing stood out in particular, just another unremarkable village, ravaged by demons, while the lord remained cooped up in his estate, protecting his riches. Nothing he hadn’t seen before as a travelling monk. In a few days this place will barely remember his name, let alone his face.
Relationships: Miroku/Sango (InuYasha)
Series: Inuyasha & Yashahime One-shot [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2098650
Kudos: 15





	The monk and the diviner

**Author's Note:**

> _In loving memory of Kirby Morrow and Kōji Tsujitani..._
> 
>   
>    
> \- some info in the end notes might be a little triggering (mentions of mental health issues and self-harm) please kindly skip those, if it's too much for you.  
> \- none of the above mentioned triggering themes are in the fanfic

The village surrounding the local lord’s estate looked like any other in the region. Run down houses, narrow dusty roads, nearly empty marketplace and an unkept temple. The lord’s keep in contrast was clean, well maintained and towered over the village. This was the right place for him to earn some coin. Miroku looked around the marketplace. Locals moved along on their daily tasks. Nothing stood out in particular, just another unremarkable village, ravaged by demons, while the lord remained cooped up in his estate, protecting his riches. Nothing he hadn’t seen before as a travelling monk. In a few days this place will barely remember his name, let alone his face.

Something caught his eye, as Miroku continued his scan of the village. Nestled between nearly empty stalls, there was a small booth, with a hearth and an array of animal bones laid out on the ornate fabric. A tad gruesome display, but common for the diviners, who specialized in bone reading. The diviner herself was an elderly woman, with an almost magnetic gaze in her dark eyes. In her youth, she might have been just his grandfather’s type. Well, any beautiful woman was, truth be told. That was how he got the family curse, after all; Miroku tightened the grip on his staff.

“Young monk,” he heard the old woman call, in a deep, raspy voice. “Care to have your fortune read? I can predict the way you will die.”

Miroku didn’t care for this fortune much - he knew how he was going to die since a young age. He witnessed his own father devoured by _kazaana_ , with nothing left to even pay respects. Still this woman could be useful for collecting some information.

“I’d love to, lady diviner,” he put on his most charming smile and sat down by the hearth, across the old woman. The warm light of the flame reflected in her dark eyes. Her gaze remained mesmerizing, as if trained to look deep inside one’s soul. Miroku shifted uneasily. She gestured for him to pick the bone on which his fortune would be read. He grabbed one without looking and tossed it into the hearth. They had some time before the bone would heat up for the cracks to show, so now was an opportune time for him to ask some questions.

“Say, have you lived in this village long, lady diviner?”

“All my life.”

“So you must know the lord well?”

“As do most people in this village,” her eyes shifted from his face to the bone in the hearth. “He remains prosperous by raising our taxes, but he does little to protect his vassals from the demons. Even the village temple is barely maintained.”

“I see,” Miroku said. This would come in handy later. “And his daughter?”

“She doesn’t leave the castle much. People, who saw her, say she is a beauty beyond any measure,” she pulled the bone out of the fire with metal tongs and began to read the cracks on its surface. “She has been plagued by a nasty demon for weeks now…but you already knew that didn’t you?”

She raised her head to meet his eyes and once again Miroku couldn’t look away from her magnetic gaze.

“I…” he stumbled, trying to find the words to respond. “I’m a travelling monk, lady diviner, I go wherever I’m needed. I heard of the young lady being possessed and I hurried to provide my aid at once.”

“Of course,” the old woman let out a coarse laugh, not showing any sign of believing him. A change of subject was in order.

“What future do you see for me?”

"A great one, young monk,” she looked back at the cracks on the bone. “Arriving to this village will send you on the path of an incredible adventure. You will aid in eliminating many dangerous demons. You will meet trusted allies and live through numerous battles. You will meet a woman, who you will grow to love dearly, and who will love you in return. You will have many descendants, who will continue your legacy of vanquishing demons from this world.”

All of this sounded too good to be true, but there was one question, that could easily solve this riddle.

“And how will I die?”

“You will pass peacefully, at an old age, surrounded by your loved ones.”

Miroku couldn’t help, but laugh. What a scam! And for a moment he almost believed her. What an admirable swindler this woman was! He was genuinely impressed.

“You don’t believe me know,” she said, “but in time you’ll see my words to be true.”

“Sure,” he got up and passed her a coin. At least she did entertain him for a moment there and the information she provided was useful.

“Thank you, lady diviner, I’ll keep your words in mind. I must be off now.”

A peaceful death at an old age, a woman to love and care for and numerous descendants - all those couldn’t be further from his current path. However, the lord’s estate, filled with riches, was right on his course.

Many years later, Miroku passed away peacefully. His lifespan surpassed his father’s and his grandfather’s life combined. His house was filled with his children and grandchildren, who all carried on a fine legacy of demon slaying and powerful demon exorcism. His friends were there too - the half-demon, the girl from the future, their daughter, and his brother-in-law. Everyone gathered to pay their last respect to him. By his side was his beautiful wife, gripping his right hand. Not even a scar remained on his palm, to remind him of the curse his family carried for three generations. The curse, that he was positive would end his life. Miroku smiled weakly, drawing his last breath.

_The old woman was right._

**Author's Note:**

> 💜
> 
> ~  
> I've been on an Inuyasha kick lately...  
> The recent news of Kirby Morrow's passing, did hit me harder than I thought they would, and the best way for me to process those, was to put them in writing.  
> Inuyasha, especially the English Dub version, holds a very special place in my heart. I stumbled upon it at a very very dark time in my life, when I was dealing with major depression and a lot of other unhappy thoughts. Truth be told, I don't think I still would be here, writing, breathing, living, if it weren't for this series.  
> Anytime I get to meet someone who have worked on the series in any capacity, I mention it to them, as I am forever grateful to have had this series in my life.  
> Now there is one less person, I get to thank for it...  
> If there is a person in your life, who you want to thank for helping you to get through dark times, be it a creator, a family member, a friend, a mentor, please let them know.  
> Hug your loved ones and tell them how much you love them. Life is too short.  
> Thank you for reading💜


End file.
